“Entertaining and clever – a laugh out loud masterpiece by a loving dad that reveals the essential truths of life in a light-hearted and captivat- - to our children!” Monique Swanepoel, Ideas Consultant Trondheim, Norway - Allison Maccio, Vice President – Account Management Wilmington, DE - Jonathan Herring, Author – II – Praise for The $20,000 T-Shirt “Entertaining and clever – a laugh out loud masterpiece by a loving dad that reveals the essential truths of life in a light-hearted and captivat- ing style. Revel in the joy of topical quotes, sharp anecdotes, and remi- niscing about the mistakes that we’ve all made but don’t want to admit to our children!” Monique Swanepoel, Ideas Consultant Trondheim, Norway “Weaver has taken detailed moments in his life to craft relevant life les- sons that all can relate to. This is more than a parenting advice book; its message transcends race, religion, and socio-economic backgrounds to deliver a simplistic look on living a good and fulfilling life.” Allison Maccio, Vice President – Account Management Wilmington, DE “Devon Weaver’s missive to his children overflows with world hewn wis- dom, wit, and insight for all ages. A classic of nonfiction narrative.” Jonathan Herring, Author Auckland, New Zealand – II – Praise for The $20,000 T-Shirt “I know Devon. I wanted to hate this book so bad so I could laugh at him for years. But I didn’t. It made me think of my Dad. Now that he’s gone, it made me cry thinking about all the things left unsaid between us.” Rob Wooten, Sales Consultant Charlotte, NC “Read this book. Read it because it’ll split your sides, your pants, your face, and your heart. Read it because it’ll make you spit your beverage of choice across the room and possibly make you laugh-fart. Read it because of the advice about life and peanut butter, Nutella, and jelly. Read it be- cause it’s written by a dad who loves his kids and isn’t afraid to unabash- edly tell them, or the world. Just read it for yourself, already. You’ll figure out why from the very first page. Sheer awesomeness.” Margarita Martinez, Editor Albuquerque, NM “The $20,000 T-Shirt is a parenting book like no other, featuring a candid assessment of a father forced to examine the life lessons he was (or was not) teaching his children. What differentiates The $20,000 T-Shirt from other parenting or advice guides is its attention to linking the author’s knowledge with bigger pictures based on a range of experiences. Specific strategies are provided, rather than generalities; and these form the heart of a powerful guide packed with solid advice that shouldn’t be limited to young adult readers alone. The $20,000 T-Shirt is a highly recommended pick that parents can give their teens and read together with them.” D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer – Midwest Book Review Oregon, WI “This really was a great read. I kept looking forward to the next time I'd be able to pick it back up, and always left it feeling encouraged and moti- vated. Signs of a good book.” Lauren Neilan, Regional Sponsorship Manager Indianapolis, IN – III – The $20,000 T-Shirt “For the general reader, I believe it will inspire and encourage them to start that project, read that book, focus on their strengths, and hopefully get off social media for god’s sake!!! I know it inspired me. I made it a point this week to read every free moment I got. I started listening to Ted Talks (never listened to a podcast before) and I decided to get up 30 min- utes earlier every morning. This is mainly to read and drink coffee… lots of coffee! But it does start my day better just to have that time. By the way, Walmart always makes me feel better, too.” Becca Streng, Mom Havre de Grace, MD “Charming, witty, and poignant without ever becoming sappy, it presents important, practical advice in the form of the author’s own unique but en- tirely relatable real-life experiences. Humor balances with heart and raw, even gritty honesty in a book that is equal parts memoir and life-affirm- ing look towards the future. The perfect gift for grads or anyone looking for an entertaining narrative of growing up and life in general.” Gillian Pemberton, Writer/Book Critic Fairfax, VA “Devon has given a new perspective on a familiar subject all the while weaving comedically through the ups and downs of life. He offers sound advice and useful techniques to help achieve a great balance for today’s youth. This is a great read for both the young and the young at heart. The chapters on his relationship with his Dad completely broke me down. I thought of all of the things I didn’t get to say to my dad before his passing. It could be the martinis talking but between Devon the ignored, Dev- on the greatest ginger father, and Devon the butt trumpet master, col- or me impressed!” Wally Barton, Sales Manager North East, MD – IV – Praise for The $20,000 T-Shirt “The author of The $20,000 T-Shirt, Devon Weaver, is probably one of the most honest writers you’ll ever find. The book was initially just written for his children, but I believe it has such great guidance for people of all ages that it deserves to be published. I highly recommend you get a copy of this book, as it will enlighten you and really make you think about life and all of its gloriousness.” Kimberly Hurley, Investigator Nashville, TN “This is an emotional roller coaster of a book, which was intended for Weaver’s children’s’ eyes only. I think we are lucky that he decided to let other people read his work, as the book gives wonderful advice to chil- dren and adults alike. Even I, as a 30 year old, learned some new lessons.” Kerrie Irish, Comfy Reading Blog Dundee, MI “Incredibly hilarious and profoundly real, The $20,000 T-Shirt will hook you from the start. Weaver’s anecdotes are honest and his advice is rel- evant, no matter what stage of life you find yourself reading it at. You’ll walk away from this book with a new game plan for life, likely in the form of a Trello list.” Chloe Mix, Marketing & Promotions Coordinator Edmonton, Alberta "This is a must read! It is not only entertaining, but I grew from it. I already have and will continue to use this book as a tool in conversations with my kids. Making a point is best done by story telling. And many times, I did not have a memory ready to insert into the point I was trying to make. Between my personal history and now yours, I have the stories needed for many life lessons. I expect I will be going back to this book for many years to come." Debbie Fellmeth, Corporate Partnership Sales Director Indianapolis, IN – V – EIGHTY ORCHARD PUBLISHING, INC. KELLY PARK CIRCLE HUNTERSVILLE, NC COPYRIGHT © DEVON WEAVER COVER BY VANESSA MENDOZZI INTERIOR DESIGN BY MARIO MARIĆ INTERIOR IMAGES BY ALIN ZANFIRESCU EDITING BY MARGARITA MARTINEZ & NICHOL SCHELD ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PORTION OF THIS BOOK MAY BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER, EXCEPT AS PERMITTED BY U.S. COPYRIGHT LAW. FOR PERMISSIONS, CONTACT [email protected]. SOME NAMES AND IDENTIFYING DETAILS HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT THE PRIVACY OF INDIVIDUALS. FIRST EIGHTY ORCHARD PUBLISHING EDITION DECEMBER FOR INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIAL DISCOUNTS OR BULK PURCHASES, CONTACT [email protected] ISBN: ---- (PAPERBACK) ISBN: ---- (EBOOK) LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CONTROL NUMBER: PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – VIII – Before You Dive In, Read This A quick note to my trillions of loyal readers: Originally, I wrote this entire book for a whopping audience of two: my 10-year-old daughter, Charley, and my five-year old son, Knox. The $20,000 T-Shirt was hand delivered to them as a Christmas present. The book was not intended for anyone other than my children. I would have been far less honest if I knew others would read it. But after some positive feedback and encouragement from my editor and friends, I decided to release it into the world (man, I hope this doesn’t suck). Even though the distribution model changed, the format stayed the same… it’s basically a long advice letter to my kids. Enjoy! — Devon Weaver – XIII – Introduction So, you might be wondering, “Why did my dad write this book for me?” It’s a fair question indeed. The answer is self-serving. I sought to right a major wrong in my life and to finally… FINALLY… make peace with the Texas-sized remorse over the passing of my father. My dad was in my life for 19 years but he never really shared anything personal with me. When he died, I felt shortchanged. I needed more from our relationship together, but now it was too late. Sadly, he didn’t offer up the answers and I didn’t make the effort to ask the questions. Since then, I’ve come to know him by asking questions of those clos- est to him: his wife, his brother, his in-laws, and his friends. That’s better than nothing, I guess, but it’s not the same as hearing it from him. I don’t want that sense of anguish for the two of you. I want you to know me, my hopes and dreams, my successes and failures.